A New Spin on Fitness: A Conversation with Grover Cheng

Shouted at in a dark room, face like a tomato, pedalling furiously to music that feels like it’s vibrating through your soul – welcome to Grover’s spin class.

When I first attended his Focus Cycle class in the beige maze of a TST shopping centre, I expected a standard workout focused on calorie-burning. Instead, I was greeted with bouncing disco lights, music chosen by the riders, and 45 minutes of sweat and self-discovery.

"I Just Wanted to Get Out"

Grover didn’t start out as the picture of fitness. In fact, his first spin class nearly broke him.

"I just wanted to get out. I thought, what am I doing? I cannot follow anything. I am just dying inside," he laughs. "Back then, I couldn’t finish a 10K run!"

Fast forward to today, and he’s teaching multiple spin classes a week, balancing the demands of his hospital social work job, and completing a master’s degree. As much as he’s grown physically, it’s his mental transformation that shapes how he teaches.

From CBT to Body Movement

Grover’s master’s program in Behavioural Health focuses on mindfulness, stress reduction, and body movement therapy, redefining how he approaches both his social work and his spin coaching.

"When people are in crisis, sometimes your body reacts before your mind even catches up. Your shoulders tense, you shake - it’s your body telling you something. That’s why movement can be so powerful."

This idea is something Grover has seen firsthand in his work as a social worker.

"When I was working in hospitals, I realized not everyone can use their cognitive abilities in times of distress. Sometimes, you have to experience emotions physically before you can process them mentally."

It’s a perspective that feels especially relevant in today’s high-pressure world. So many of us are in our heads trying to "think" our way through problems, ignoring what our bodies are telling us. 

"You’re not just here to work out," he tells me. "You’re here to feel something. It’s about connecting your body to your mind, building mental resilience, and leaving stronger – not just physically, but in every way."

"Suffering is Unavoidable"

If there’s one thing Grover is known for, it’s his endurance tracks. These sections of his classes are brutal – long stretches of sustained effort that test not just your physical stamina but your mental toughness.

For Grover, this isn’t just a workout. It’s a reflection of life.

"During my master’s, I studied some areas of Buddhism, and one concept really stuck with me: suffering is unavoidable. There will be suffering in life, and we can’t avoid it. What matters is how we deal with it. Even if it’s a shitty day, we can bring ourselves back up. That’s resilience."

Endurance, he says, isn’t about holding on for dear life - it’s about choice.

"The endurance track is my favourite part," he says with a grin. "It’s not about whether you can hold it for ten more seconds – it’s about whether you want to. That’s the ownership you have over yourself."

It’s an idea that feels surprisingly empowering - especially when you’re in the middle of an endurance track, legs burning, lungs gasping, wondering why you signed up for this in the first place.

"Honestly, that 10 or 20 seconds isn’t about your body. It’s about whether you believe you can hold it. It’s a process of learning, pushing yourself, and discovering what you’re capable of," he says.

He's right. Those extra seconds - the ones where you think you can’t go on - are when something shifts. 

From Numbers to Nurture

Grover’s path to where he is now wasn’t linear and he took a detour into corporate life.

"I got a management trainee role at a property company and worked there for six months. I’m a quick learner, but all the numbers? It didn’t feel meaningful."

Then, a call from the social work department changed everything.

"Out of nowhere, they offered me a job. It felt like fate, like there was a magnetic force pulling me back to this profession."

His first role, at a family service centre, was challenging but rewarding.

"You see the growth bit by bit, and when you talk to the kids, they remember what you said. That is so magical. I had one case and eventually, he got adopted in the US. His parents sent me updates, and within six months, he’d picked up English fluently. I was so proud of him. That kind of connection is unbeatable."

This nurturing approach carries into his spin classes, where he strives to create a supportive environment for his riders to grow and challenge themselves.

Breaking Down Body Image Barriers

Moving to Asia from the UK, I’ve felt the weight, literally, of the beauty standards here. Back home, where the average clothing size is a 16, I felt comfortable in my own skin. But here, I’ve become far more aware of how I measure up, or don’t, against the local expectations.

For those raised with these ideals, the pressure must be even greater. It’s a constant reminder of the struggle to belong, not just in terms of appearance but socially as well, like being thrust into a beauty contest you never signed up for.

Grover understands this pressure but refuses to feed into it in his classes.

"A lot of people come to spin thinking about burning calories, changing their body. But I never talk about that. Why should I? Your body will tell you what’s happening. You’ll feel it."

He’s more interested in how people feel in class rather than how they look.

"Spinning is an extreme form of mindfulness," he says. "You don’t have time to think about anything else. You are in it. You are feeling it. And sometimes, people find peace in that because they can finally switch off their brains."

It’s why he’s so intentional about creating a space where people can focus on themselves, without comparison.

"I design my class so that in the recovery track, it’s all about autonomy," he explains. "You’ve done the hard work, now it’s your choice. Sit, stand, push, don’t push. It’s up to you. And that’s powerful, because in life, we don’t always feel like we have choices."

Beyond the Expat Bubble

Spin in Hong Kong has an image problem. It’s often seen as an expensive, expat-dominated activity - think more sleek fitness influencers and designer activewear than everyday gym-goers. Grover is working to change that.

“Most of the instructors here aren’t local born Hongkongers. And that’s great, but it also gives me responsibility. I want to localise spin, make it more accessible, and bring in more Hong Kong culture. That’s why I have my cantopop theme rides! Nobody has ever done that before here”.

Compared to most boutique studios, Focus Cycle is already more affordable, but Grover knows that price is still a barrier. 

“It’s a niche thing. I get it. But I don’t want it to feel exclusive. I want people to feel like they belong here, whether they’re a local or a foreigner. Fitness should be for everyone.”

And it’s not just about the music or the price - it’s about creating a community that feels inclusive. 

“I had an Olympian in my class last week. A fucking Olympian” he tells me. “His girlfriend is a regular and she brought him along. I was thinking, how the hell am I qualified to teach an Olympian?”

Riders come from all backgrounds, all levels, and Grover makes sure every single one of them feels like they belong. 

Spinning Towards Something Bigger

With his master’s wrapping up, his social work continuing, and spin classes growing in demand, I ask Grover what’s next.

“I feel like I’m finally connecting everything together,” he smiles. “It’s not just about fitness, not just about spin. It’s about mental resilience, about creating a community, about making something meaningful”.

And honestly? You can feel that in his classes. Sure, you come for the workout, but you leave with something more - whether it’s a new level of confidence, a better understanding of your limits, or just the sheer relief of having survived another one of his brutal endurance attacks.

After the interview, I take one of his classes. Forty-five minutes later, drenched in sweat and questioning my life choices, I step out of the studio. My legs feel like jelly, my heart is still racing -but I get it now. This isn’t just a workout. It’s a movement, and Grover is just getting started.